Eating healthy and maintaining a balanced diet are things that we were taught as children. However, for most people, these lessons tend to become vague memories and terms such as “junk food”, “fast food”, and “crash diets” become a normal part of our vocabulary. Sometimes, people succumb to the temptations of gluttony and the body feels the effects of the toxins that are ingested after eating too much unhealthy food. The quickest and most effective solution to this is including detox foods as a part of your diet.
When it comes to gaining weight, causing the problem is usually much easier than fixing it! However, detoxing your body is a pleasant exception. A natural detox diet is necessary to purify the toxins in your body, and to help keep you fit and healthy. Here is a list of some of the food items you can consider incorporating into your diet to give your body some relief from all the stress that it usually has to bear.
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1. Green Tea
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Green tea is a very rich source of the powerful antioxidant known as Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). This antioxidant eliminates free radicals, which attack healthy cells, from your body. Free radicals are extremely harmful as they induce cell mutation, which might lead to cancer. Green tea neutralizes free radicals and prevents cell mutation from occurring. Green tea also increases your body’s metabolism rate and acts as a “fat-burner”. It also helps in improving neurological functions of the body, and increases concentration.
2. Lemon
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Lemons are high in antioxidants such as Vitamin C, which reduce the risk of respiratory infections and prevent other common ailments such as the flu. Lemon water is also traditionally used as a liver stimulant, helps in the purging of toxins from blood, and keeps the skin from developing blemishes. The lemon detox diet is simple – just begin your day with a tall glass of lemon water to flush out the toxins in your digestive tract. Avoid adding sugar because that would be counterproductive to your detox diet.
3. Turmeric
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The phytochemical component in turmeric is called curcumin. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, curcumin stimulates production of bile by the gallbladder. The bile is used by the liver, and it helps in rejuvenating the liver cells which break down the toxic substances. A diet rich in turmeric helps the liver function properly after it has been bogged down by long bouts of drinking. Turmeric can be used in curries, and can be also be used as turmeric tea. Turmeric also has anti-inflammatory qualities and can be used to cure physical injuries.
4. Beetroot
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Fresh beetroot is an important tool in detoxifying the liver and improving liver function. Every minute, approximately three pints of blood passes through the liver. The liver extracts nutrients, toxins and carcinogens from the blood during this process, making it one of the most important organs when it comes to detoxification. Start your day with 8 ounces of beet juice mixed with cucumber, celery, lemon, apple, or ginger for some extra spice. After your liver cleanses, try to commit to a healthy alkaline diet with plenty of alkaline water and eat a beet salad for a seven-day period. This is a great liver tonic and loaded with nutrients to help to strengthen your liver functions.
5. Dark leafy greens
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Watercress, mustard greens, cabbage, nettle, and lettuce are all very good options for a cleansing diet. The fiber in these vegetables helps to balance the fats and the protein which weigh your body down. Chlorophyll-rich edible greens have healing and protective qualities that help to cleanse the blood, and they also boost your body’s pH level, which can become unbalanced due to large alcohol intake. The vegetables can be had raw, boiled, or sautéed with some olive oil. These vegetables improve the chlorophyll levels and eliminate environmental toxins such as smog and herbicides. Leafy greens are composed of health enhancing phytonutrients such as phenols, indoles, flavonoids, and substances like sulforphane. They are abundant in trace minerals and omega fatty acids, as well as vitamins and antioxidants, like vitamin A, C, K, folate, and small amounts of vitamin E. All these vitamins and minerals are integral to a detox diet. The omega-3 fatty acids are important for improving neurological functions.
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6. Fresh fruits
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Another fabulous inclusion on the list of detox foods is fresh fruits, coupled with several bottles of water. The trick is to avoid all other caffeinated or tannin-containing products for a successful detox. Apples are full of exceptional nutrients and beneficial phytochemicals, such as D-Glucarate, flavonoids and terpenoids. Phlorizidin is supposed to help stimulate bile production, just like turmeric, and helps in keeping the liver healthy and functional. Blueberries contain natural aspirin that helps lessen the tissue-damaging effects of chronic inflammation, while also reducing pain. Blueberries also act as antibiotics by blocking bacteria which might exist in the urinary tract. They have antiviral properties and are loaded with super-detoxifying phytonutrients called proanthocyanidins. Fruits can be incorporated into the cleansing diet in the form of smoothies, fresh salads, or just cut up with a few pinches of salt. Fruits are the tastiest way to clean your body of toxins. As an added incentive, they also do wonders for your skin.
7. Asparagus
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Asparagus has 288 milligrams of potassium per cup. Potassium is helpful in reducing body fact and also has a diuretic effect. Asparagus is also rich in asparagines, which are good for cleaning the urinary tract of obstructions like extra uric acids. Asparagus is rich in iron and helps with blood production. Asparagus is also a great source of vitamin B, copper, zinc, and potassium. It is low in sodium and rich in manganese which is helpful for increasing bone density. It also has skin clearing and rejuvenation properties due to its rich source of glutathione (GSH) which acts against aging free radicals. Asparagus is called a powerhouse of nutrients, and the French even consider it to be an aphrodisiac.
8. Broccoli
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A recent study in a cancer journal cited broccoli as containing a unique chemical called sulforaphane, which helps in fighting malignant cells from the body. Broccoli has been proven to get rid of environmental toxins which are taken in through the nose. A diet of broccoli and Brussels sprouts is immensely helpful in clearing caffeine from your body. The enzymes secreted by these vegetables last for weeks inside the human body. Broccoli helps in lowering cholesterol, and when broccoli is steamed, the fiber related components binds the bile acids together. Glucoraphanin, gluconasturtiian, and glucobrassicin are 3 glucosinolate phytonutrients found in broccoli. This trio is able to support all steps of the body’s detox process, including activation, neutralization, and elimination of unwanted contaminants. Isothiocyanates (ITCs) are the detox-regulating molecules made from broccoli’s glucosinolates, and they help control the detox process at a genetic level.
9. Lemongrass
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Lemongrass tea is something that definitely should be included in your detox diet. It contains high levels of antioxidants that have multiple health benefits such as maintaining optimal cholesterol levels in the body, preventing the growth of harmful bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus, and preventing other problems such as rheumatism. In addition to all this, it is diuretic, which means that consumption of lemongrass helps flush out the toxins from your body in frequent intervals, speeding up the process of detoxification. When the tea is brewed, the lemongrass also releases an essential oil that goes by the name of citral, which aids the metabolic process and promotes detoxification.
10. Almonds
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Finally, almonds are another addition to the list of detox foods, which are bound to leave you feeling healthier than ever. This addition might come as a slight surprise to you, but there are enough reasons why almonds should become a vital part of your cleansing diet. These nuts contain high amounts of magnesium, calcium, and fiber. All of these are essential for promoting faster metabolism and additional bowel movements, which helps detoxify by removing toxins and other harmful substances from the body. Almonds also help in stabilizing blood sugar levels.
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You don’t need shady store-bought solutions or complicated homemade remedies in order to get your detox diet rolling. Even if your healthy diet gets a little off track, diligent consumption of some of these natural and readily available detox foods is bound to reap favorable results for both your body and your mind.
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